A DISGRACED occupational therapist has been jailed after he sexually assaulted a woman whose husband he had been visiting and a hospital nurse.
Gagandeep Sharman originally denied three charges of sexual assault involving two victims – but finally pleaded guilty to one offence against each woman.
Sharman of Saumur Way, Warwick, was jailed for 26 months, ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years, and given a restraining order, banning him from contacting them.
In 2019, a man with health problems was visited by Sharman – an occupational therapist at the time.
The man’s wife said he acted in a professional manner when dealing with her husband.
But Sharman returned, claiming he had left his phone. The man’s wife, who is in her 60s, answered the door in an overcoat over her underwear, since had been about to have a nap.
The 37-year-old barged past her, telling her to ‘carry on and have your shower’ while he looked for it.
She noticed he had a phone in his hand – but he said that was his work phone and that it was his own phone which was missing.
Flustered, she told him to leave, but he put his hand on her shoulder and told her ‘this is something to play with’ and said it was something her husband could do.
He pressed against her from behind and she could feel his erection pressing between her buttocks.
As she protested, he thrust against her. She said he had to stop, but the defendant said ‘But you’re so sexy.’
He continued thrusting and put his hand inside the coat.
She struggled and broke free, at which he told her ‘I need you’ and began touching himself through his clothing.
The woman had been calling out to her husband, and when he began to come down the stairs, Sharman calmed down and asked to use the toilet before leaving.
At first the woman, who said she scrubbed herself ‘almost raw,’ in the bath, was reluctant to call the police – and when eventually did, CPS lawyers decided not to charge Sharman.
His employers stopped him visiting people’s homes and confined him to the clinic and the Leamington Rehabilitation Hospital.
But later that year, he put his hand up a nurse’s skirt.
At first she decided not to ‘make a fuss’, but Sharman then began sending her messages – and when she told him he had overstepped the mark, he apologised and she let it go.
But he continued making comments including he’d give her ‘a little slap’ if she was naughty, ‘Your boobs and butt look amazing today,’ and that he was ‘hung like a donkey’.
And while she was doing some online training, he tried to pull her skirt up and touch her bottom.
As she tried to get away, he took hold of her hand and tried to rub it against his groin, then grabbed her in a bear hug, saying ‘Snog me, snog me’.
She managed to get away, but not before he had groped her and tried to grind against her bottom with his groin.
When arrested, Sharman claimed he had hugged her ‘as a work colleague,’ and denied touching her sexually.
Clare Evans, defending, said Sharman’s ‘abject and genuine apology’ had been made in his basis of plea, in which he said: “I am truly sorry and devastated at my behaviour and the effect it has had on them.”
Sharman, who said he had never had a sexual relationship, said he had since received counselling and wanted to apologise to the two women for not admitting his guilt earlier.
Sharman had lost the job as an occupational therapist and now worked as a delivery driver.
Jailing Sharman, Judge Anthony Potter said of the first incident: “You approached her in a quite disgraceful manner. She had not invited this in any sense.
“You made sexually-charged remarks and began to thrust yourself against her buttocks. You went further and put your hand inside her coat and down towards her private area.”
And of the second offence, the judge told Sharman: “You pursued her between a number of rooms before you followed her into a room and thrust your groin towards her in a similar way.”
Explaining he would be jailed immediately, he added: “Threatening two women in this way must be punished in that way.”
